title: PEG-rhGH therapy for small for gestational age rats and effects on their metabolic parameters.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether administration of long-acting polyethylene glycol moiety covalently linked to recombinant human growth hormone (PEG-rhGH) can be efficacious in the treatment of small for gestational age (SGA) rats and to characterize its effects on metabolic parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 pregnant rats were randomly divided into undernourished and standard nourished groups. SGA or appropriate for gestational age (AGA) offspring from each were then randomly assigned to receive either PEG-rhGH or normal saline (NS). Once-weekly subcutaneous injections of PEG-rhGH (2 μg/g/week) were administered starting at 21-42 days. Glycometabolism, blood pressure (BP), hormone and biochemical levels were analyzed at 21, 42 and 70 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SGA rats at 21 days were lighter and shorter than AGAs (34.77 ± 2.11 vs. 48.83 ± 1.78 g, 10.42 ± 0.22 vs. 12.99 ± 0.17 cm, p < 0.05). At 42 days, SGA animals experienced a greater body weight gain. BP was higher in NS-treated SGA than in the AGA group at 70 days (138.16 ± 3.02 vs. 112.26 ± 5.42 mm Hg, p < 0.05). Meanwhile, NS-treated SGA exhibited higher glucose levels at 60 and 90 min than the AGA groups. No differences in hormone levels between the SGA and AGA groups were found at the end of PEG-rhGH treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that PEG-rhGH treatment does not increase the risk of developing metabolic syndrome in adolescent aged rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yanping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Huang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Xiumin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.forename: Lizhong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000662:veterinary; D005865:Gestational Age; D019382:Human Growth Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000503:physiopathology; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000209:etiology; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C562190:polyethylene glycol-recombinant human growth hormone; D019382:Human Growth Hormone; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols